back to basics

Some things are just too easy to take for granted. Pasta comes from a packet. Or, if you're feeling fancy, from the cooler section of that uber-cute deli down the road. Bread comes in a plastic bag. And, sometimes, where the sales are on and the mood strikes, in a brown paper bag from the supermarket. If you're nearby, and it's open, it might come as a baguette from the Vietnamese Bakery. And then there's cheese, which, if you're of Asian descent, is usually something seen as a bit "other". A little pricey. A little too good at inducing that horribly crippling lactose-intolerance-stomach-ache. To be bought from the supermarket. To eat melted. Only melted.

Which got me thinking. I've made pasta. Numerous times. I make cakes and biscuits on an almost never ending cycle. What's stopping me from trying the other stuff? The food that pops off the shelf and into the trolley without a second thought. Which is how I ended up here. Making cheese. And bread. And other things yet to come. It has been, expectedly, time consuming. But also rewarding.

Over the next couple of months (or so) I'll be making recipes for items I like to call Back-to-Basics. And, so you aren't stuck with a whole heap of pasta and no-one to play with, I'll post up a couple of variations, mixes and meals that can be made using said Basic. If I remember to, I'll stick a link to all of the Back to Basics (and associated recipes) on this page - so bookmark it if you feel the urge to do so.

*deep breath*

This is gonna be fun :)

Back to Basics - Index

(note: Links will be made active & added as recipes are posted. )

Basic: Fresh Lemon Rind Pasta

Mix it up:
Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli

Make a Meal of it:
Smoked Trout Linguine
Beef, Zucchini & Mushroom Ragu

Basic: "Ricotta" Cheese

Mix it up:
Ricotta, Spinach & Pine Nut Mix

Make a Meal of it:
Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli
Ricotta & Spinach Pastry Parcels
Ricotta, Hazelnut & Lemon Cake
Always Perfect Pancakes